So I just picked up my 2009 Ford Escape Limited AWD a couple of days ago. The car's pretty awesome, but I just realized that the antenna doesn't retract when you shut off the radio. Is there anyway to remove it for automated carwashes? I'm pretty sure you can't go through a wash with one of these...

Or does everyone just just the hose? Or one of those touchless washes?

While my '08 Escape enjoys a few appointments each year at the detail shop, it also goes through an automated car wash about once a month or so. I've ever experienced a problem with aerial, and would imagine that its constructed in such a way as to bend under pressure.

Frankly, I wouldn't want a retractable aerial. I had one on an older car, and always had to ensure that I remebered to turn off the radio before going through.

i used to drive a corolla that had one of those antennas mounted on the top of the car, and was told to unscrew it through car washes. and that antenna was a lot sturdier/thicker looking than what the escape has. it flops around in the wind, and it just looks like it would be prone to bending with all those heavy wash thingies flying around in a car wash.

The whip antennas can handle car washes without incident. They're built to be low-maintenance and low cost if you had to replace it. I get fairly clear reception without the antenna on my '00 R/T so I utilized the radio antenna for my CB radio - works great!

I tried using my cb antenna as a radio & cb antenna once. It did alright as long as I was just running my Galaxy. When I switched on the kicker & keyed er down, poof!!! I was so dumb them

Yeah. I didn't want to run the chance of running both through the same antenna so I disconnected the radio. I rarely listen to the radio, generally a burned CD is always playing. I had a galaxy but it was old and in need of another tune so I decided to part out with it and go cheap - got a 'higher' end Cobra for $140 tax in...on sale nonetheless. It's clear enough that I can hear about a kilometers distance with very little interference. Not too bad for a stock vehicle antenna. Besides, the wife said if anyone's getting a 'whip', it'll be her.

That's what I was running, a steel whip, even had a tennis ball on it lmao! I ended up using my galaxy as a base for a while but now everything's in storage, except for my tower and base antenna. I hope to take it down this summer and add a TV antenna so I can get better reception of the new digital signals.

I have been looking at a Magnum S980 but wife says "you already have 2 cb radios"

That's a nice unit! My budget was under $200 for the unit and accessories, as I don't use it often enough to warrant purchasing a GREAT unit. I missed out on removing my year old Galaxy unit that I had in my Freightliner before I sold it. I was a bit rushed to get rid of it before it depreciated any more with '09 around the corner!

If I had a radio in storage I'd be told by the boss (holding the whip) that I'd have to use that one first before getting another. I wanted to put one in my Taurus, but there really isn't a good spot to put it as the dash is so curvy and my knees need somewhere to go. I spent $320 on a new shiny alternator the other day. It makes the rest of the engine bay look so OLD!